South Whidbey Record

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | Basic math stumps Lauderdale

October 19, 2012 · Updated 2:38 PM Comments

To the editor:

Jeff Lauderdale’s campaign website states that “logic and science must be applied to all of the challenges” we’re facing. Apparently, Lauderdale’s version of “logic and science” doesn’t include facts and elementary math.

At the candidates forum last July Lauderdale criticized the Conservation Futures Fund. Conservation Futures has helped purchase conservation lands throughout the county, such as Double Bluff, Ala Spit, the Davis Slough Heron Rookery, and development rights on working farmland. It currently costs the owner of a $250,000 house less than $13 per year.

Lauderdale expressed concern that “the county would end up owning ‘every square inch’ of Whidbey and Camano islands” (South Whidbey Record, July 25). How realistic is his concern? The 2006 County Assessors’ data shows the total value of all taxable land and buildings in Island County at about $9.8 billion. I don’t have the figure for 2006, but in 2011 Conservation Futures was projected to bring in about $666,000. So, at this rate how many years would it take for Conservation Futures to end up owning “every square inch” of Whidbey and Camano islands? $9,800.000,000 divided by $666,000 = 14,714.7 years. So, at current rates all of Whidbey and Camano Islands will have been purchased by the Conservation Futures Fund in about 15,000 years.

What is it with these Tea Party politicians and wanna-be politicians? Kelly Emerson’s big issue is celebrating the War of 1812 and Jeff Lauderdale is worried about 15,000 years in the future. Personally, I’d rather have county commissioners like Angie Homola and Helen Price Johnson who look out for the future while also taking care of the here and now.